Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)

What are Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)?

CAS#: 001336-36-3

Polychlorinated biphenyls are mixtures of up to 209 individual chlorinated compounds (known as congeners). There are no known natural sources of PCBs. PCBs are either oily liquids or solids that are colorless to light yellow. Some PCBs can exist as a vapor in air. PCBs have no known smell or taste. Many commercial PCB mixtures are known in the U.S. by the trade name Aroclor.

PCBs have been used as coolants and lubricants in transformers, capacitors, and other electrical equipment because they don't burn easily and are good insulators. The manufacture of PCBs was stopped in the U.S. in 1977 because of evidence they build up in the environment and can cause harmful health effects. Products made before 1977 that may contain PCBs include old fluorescent lighting fixtures and electrical devices containing PCB capacitors, and old microscope and hydraulic oils.

Related Resources for Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs)

• Case Study in Environmental Medicine (CSEM)
  Self-instructional publication designed to increase primary care provider's knowledge of a hazardous substance in the environment and to aid in the evaluation of potentially exposed patients.
  
• CERCLA Priority List of Hazardous Substance
  Prioritization of substances based on a combination of their frequency, toxicity, and potential for human exposure at National Priorities List (NPL) sites.
  
• Expert Panel Workshop
  Proceedings of the expert panel workshop convened by ATSDR to identify and evaluate all pertinent information related to the public health implications of human exposure to PCBs.
  
• Interaction Profiles
  Succintly characterizes the toxicologic and adverse health effects information for mixtures of hazardous substances.
  
• Cesium, Cobalt, Polychlorinated Biphenyls, Strontium, and Trichloroethylene
  
• Persistent Chemicals found in Breast Milk
  
• Persistent Chemicals found in Fish
  
• Minimal Risk Levels (MRL)
  The MRL is an estimate of the daily human exposure to a hazardous substance that is likely to be without appreciable risk of adverse, non-cancer health effects over a specified duration of exposure. The information in this MRL serves as a screening tool to help public health professionals decide where to look more closely to evaluate possible risk of adverse health effects from human exposure.
  
• National Report Human Exposure to Environmental Chemicals
  Provides an ongoing assessment of the exposure of the U.S. population to environmental chemicals using biomonitoring.
  
  • Dioxins, Furans, and Dioxin-Like Polychlorinated Biphenyls
  • Results by Chemical Group
  • Fact Sheet [PDF, 47 KB]
  • Non-Dioxin-Like Polychlorinated Biphenyls
  • Results by Chemical Group
  • Fact Sheet [PDF, 48 KB]
    
• Public Health Implications of Exposure to PCBs
  Paper summarizes the health implications associated with exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), primarily through fish consumption.
  
• Public Health Statement
  Summary about a hazardous substance taken from Chapter One of its respective ATSDR Toxicological Profile.
• ToxFAQ
  Fact sheet that answers the most frequently asked questions about a contaminant and its health effects.
  
• ToxFAQ: Chemical Agent Briefing Sheets (CABS)
  Briefing sheets that provide current and relevant scientific information on specific high profile chemicals. 
  
• Toxicological Profile
  Succinctly characterizes the toxicologic and adverse health effects information for a hazardous substance.